Chapter One: Alfea College

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I took a deep breath as I entered the gates of my new school. Alfea College. It was to be my home for the next couple of years. The courtyard was crowded with new students, all of which could do amazing things, like me. You wouldn't know this by looking at the school though. It seemed quite normal. Many of the students were stood chatting or on their phones or wheeling their suitcases. They all seemed happy to be here, unlike my old school.

My eyes locked with a second year student. A girl named Kenna. She had deep chocolate brown eyes and hair so dark it was almost black. It fell below her shoulders and as she looked away from me, she pushed her hair away from her pale face as she shot me a small smile. I forced a smile back but she didn't see it. She was too busy laughing at something her friend had said and my smile quickly turned into a frown before I started pulling my suitcase through the courtyard.

"Eira!" I looked up when I heard my name and I smiled as one of my best friends approached me, holding what looked like a cigarette in his hand.
"Haven't we seen enough of each other over the summer?" I asked the boy, grinning.
"We spent the days stoned. Like I remember any of it." He laughed. I scoffed and hit him on the arm gently as I shook my head.
"Have you seen Sky?" I asked.
"Not yet. I imagine he should be around though. He wouldn't want to miss your first day."
"You say that like he has a choice. He does go to school here."
"What I meant is, he'd want to see you."
"You haven't told him about what we did this summer, have you?" I then asked in a much different tone. The boy didn't say anything. "Riven?"
"No, I haven't." He claimed.
"Just... please don't say anything."

"Don't say anything about what?" A different voice asked from behind me. I stopped walking and turned around. The biggest smile grew on my face as I faced the tall blonde boy.
"Sky!" I exclaimed before throwing my arms around the boy's neck. He hugged me back and I pulled away after a few moments. "I thought you were going to meet me at the gates."
"I kind of got held up." Sky said nervously as he scratched the back of his neck as looked across the courtyard. A redhead was walking towards the entrance of the school in the direction he was looking in.
"A friend?" I questioned.
"More of an acquaintance." He replied as I got a text. I looked down at my phone and scoffed.
"I've got to go." I told both Sky and Riven. "Stella has to show me around."
"Ouch." Riven laughed.
"Wish me luck." I joked before I grabbed my suitcase. "We'll talk later, okay?" I told Sky before I headed towards the school where I found Stella talking to redhead Sky had spoken to a few minutes before.

"You're late." Stella said bluntly as I reached the two girls.
"Sorry, I, uh, got held up." I replied. Stella ignored me and turned to the other girl.
"Shall we?" She asked. We then began walking into the college. "Bloom, Miss Dowling tells ,e this is your first time in the Otherworld. I hope your trip was painless."
"Miss Dowling gave me a time and location where there'd be a gateway. It was in the middle of nowhere, so it wasn't convenient." The redhead said.
"The headmistress likes to do things by the book." I smiled.
"And keeping your world a secret from ours is chapter one." Stella continued after shooting me an angry look. "No matter how inconvenient it may be. But... if you ever want to leave it." Stella lifted her hands and flashed Bloom the ring on her finger.
"That's a whole lot of ring." Bloom said.
"It's a gateway ring." Stella explained. "The only thing that keeps you sane in this place is the ability to leave it. Your world may not always be thrilling, but it beats this one. There are seven realms in the Otherworld, each a different kind of boring."

Stella showed up around the college before taking us to Miss Dowling's office. On the way, I fell behind and started to walk beside Bloom. "So you're not from the Otherworld then?" I asked her. The girl shook her head. "What's it like?"
"Pretty boring, actually." She smiled. "Things like fairies and magic don't exist."
"They exist." I said. "But like Stella said, we want to keep our world a secret from yours."
"I'm Bloom."
"I know." I smiled. "I'm Eira."
"We're here." Stella told us. "Bloom, Miss Dowling has asked that you wait outside whilst she speaks to Eira." And with that, Stella disappeared.

I held my breath as I knocked on the door and opened it. The headmistress was sitting at her desk and she stood up and smiled when she saw me. "Eira, darling." She grinned as I approached her and pulled her into a hug.
"Auntie Farah." I smiled.
"Has Stella showed you around?" The woman then asked me. I nodded.
"About that... was there not anybody else you could have gotten to show me around?"
"I thought Stella would be the best option." Farah admitted.
"You are joking, right?" I questioned. "The girl who blinded her best friend. The girl who has hated me ever since we were kids. Why did you think she was the best option?"
"Because she's going to be your roommate."

I could've sworn my heart stopped at those words. If Stella was going to be my new roommate I wouldn't make it to the end of the year with all five of my senses. "Do you really think that's the best idea?" I asked the woman.
"I'm sorry but that's my final decision."
"If mum were here she would-"
"Well, she isn't here, is she?" Farah questioned. I frowned.
"I'm sorry." I said. "It's just- I have been looking forward to coming to this school my whole life. Then finding out I'm roommates with Stella, it's not what I expected."
"Something good might come out of this." Miss Dowling told me.
"Okay." I whispered. "If there's nothing I can do to change it, I guess I'll have to cope."
"Good." Farah smiled as she pulled me into another hug. "Your mother would be so proud of the young woman you've become..
"Could you tell me something about her?" I then asked. "I barely know anything."
"Another time. I must speak with Bloom now." I nodded and we said our goodbyes before I left the woman's office.

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